1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slidable roof device for a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A slidable roof apparatus equipped with a flexible slidable roof member for covering a roof panel opening of a motor vehicle wherein the flexible member is openable from the forward to the rearward direction of a vehicle body has been known in the art as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laying Open Gazette No. 63-40228.
However, this type of slidable roof apparatus opens only the front of the roof panel opening of the vehicle body by opening the flexible member. Therefore, when there are passengers in the rear seat, the flexible member is folded into the rear portion of the roof panel opening and overlies the passengers in the rear seat. This means that even if the roof panel opening is fully opened, the passengers in the rear seat may feel uncomfortable and stifled.
A further disadvantage of this apparatus is that, since only the front of the roof panel opening can be opened, the air flowing into the vehicle through the opening will not circulate, such that the ventilation provided thereby is inadequate. In addition, opening only the front portion of the roof panel opening may have the result that the vehicle cabin will function as a kind of resonance box, resulting in a resonance or a throbbing sound.